Golden Corn Bread

Very Old Recipe Golden Corn Bread
 1/4 cup vegetable shortening oil or dripping
1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour 2 to 4 tablespoon sugar (optional)
4 teaspoon baking powder
 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
 1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
 Heat oven to 400F
In 8 or 9- inch square baking pan or 10-inch ovenproof skillet, melt shortening in oven; tilt pan to coat bottom evenly.
Combine dry ingredients.
Add melted shortening, milk and egg; mix just blended.
 Pour into hot pan.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
 9 to 10 servings
 Variations Muffins or Corn Sticks:
 Pour batter into 12 well-greased muffin cups or 14 hot greased corn stick pans.
 Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
 Sour Cream 'N Chive Corn Bread:
Stir 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup freeze-dried chives into batter Garden Fresh Corn Bread:
 Decrease milk to 2/3 cup. Stir 1/2 cup chopped tomato, 1/4 cup each finely chopped green pepper and onion into batter.
 Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.